Disbarred attorney arrested in client thefts

A disbarred attorney accused of stealing money meant to pay settlements for two clients she represented in June 2013 was arrested on Wednesday.

Urena de Checo, 39, of Freeport, was arrested and charged with two counts of grand larceny in the 3rd degree.

According to Nassau County District Attorney Kathleen Rice, de Checo faces up to 2 1/3 to 7 years in prison for each charge if convicted

De Checo was arraigned before Nassau County District Court Judge Rhonda Fischer, and conditionally released on probation. She pleaded not guilty and is due back in court on March 24.

“When people pay money to retain a lawyer’s services, they have a right to representation by an attorney who puts the best interest of their clients above themselves,” Rice said. “Clients shouldn’t have to wonder if their attorney is actually working on their behalf, or profiting from their position for their own personal gain.”

According to Rice, de Checo was hired in June 2013 by the owner of a Hempstead barber shop to represent him in a civil matter.

The owner gave de Checo $10,000 in cash, which was to be use to pay for a settlement in his case, Rice said.

Shortly after, de Checo allegedly mailed a check drawn on an escrow account to the attorney representing the other party; however, the check was returned for insufficient funds.

Rice added that although de Checo promised to send a new check to the other attorney, she never did. De Checo then allegedly stopped answering calls from her client and did not respond to his letters.

Also in June 2013, a Hempstead restaurant owner hired de Checo to represent him in a landlord/tenant case. The restaurant owner gave de Checo a check for $10,600, which was to be used toward a settlement of the case.

According to the DA’s office, de Checo told the restaurant owner to make the check out to her. But rather than depositing it in her escrow account and forwarding payment to the other party in the case, de Checo allegedly cashed the check and did not forward the funds as required.

De Checo, who submitted her resignation from the practice of law, was disbarred on Jan. 29, 2014.

“De Checo is a very well respected member of her community, she is working with the district attorney’s office to resolve this matter and it is our firm belief and expectation that this matter will be resolved,” her attorney Charles Rosenblum said.